So this piece is called Laocoon and his Sons. It was likely sculpted before 100BC. It was unearthed around the time of Michelangelo's birth and toured around europe - it is likely that Michelangelo and many of the artists of his time saw this sculpture which was regarded to be the pinnacle of artistic endeavor...1,500 years before...
Now imagine if someone had taken Michelangelo to this sculpture and said to him,
"This has been done before. Perfection has already been achieved and you might as well not even try to tread this old ground again."
Can you imagine our world without the Pieta? Without the David?
Perfection in stone had already been achieved 1500 years before Michelangelo was even born...
I think you are painting with too broad a brush here Peter. There is merit in many artistic paths, and each path has its own challenges and rewards. Granted, each will speak to different people as they view the works from those artists.
